Two-Faced Princess

“Ride now,” Evangeline whispered. “But I have to loosen the chains—–”

“No, ride now.” Upon hearing Evangeline’s words, Apollonia carefully climbed onto his tightly chained body, holding onto the mane. “Take this. It’s a poison strong enough to kill the queen. Avoid using it if possible, but take it just in case.” Apollonia placed the vial Evangeline offered into the folds of her robe.

Evangeline took out a small cage from her robe and spoke. “Freya, follow Melody. Don’t lose sight of her, no matter what.”

Inside it was an ugly bird with a single eye, looking mischievous despite its name, Melody. “Princess, before unlocking the chains, we should…”

“Go!” Instead of listening to Apollonia, Evangeline opened the cage. The raven flew out of the stable at an alarming speed, and at the same time, Freya let out a fierce howl. Apollonia’s body shook abruptly. Instinctively, she tightened her grip on Freya’s long mane.

*CLANK*

*THUD*

Freya’s massive body moved forcefully several times, and the chains that bound him began to snap one by one. All the spells, charms, and chains were futile. They couldn’t keep the creature restrained.

*SNAP*

*THUD*

Before she could even register the fact that the last chain had broken, Apollonia’s body shook once more. But this time, the movement didn’t stop.

*CLANG*

Freed from captivity, Freya smashed through the stable’s fence with his body, dashing out. “Your Highness!” Adrian’s scream echoed, but Apollonia had no time to look back. Her body was already cutting through the night sky at a fearsome speed. With one hand holding tightly onto Freya’s mane and the other clutching the hood of her robe over her head. Freya crossed the palace skies with a few flaps of his wings. The sight of the palace guards and servants gathering below was visible. “Phrynix has escaped!”

“Who is riding it? Did the princess escape as well?”

“No. Just a moment.” The moment they passed through the palace gates, Freya picked up speed. Apollonia had to let go of the robe she was holding onto with one hand and use both hands to hold onto Freya’s mane. The cloth covering her head fell off, and her long blonde hair cascaded like a waterfall. A black horse in the black night sky, with golden blonde hair fluttering above, shone brightly like a star.

“Your Highness, what…?”

“Your Highness!”

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“Your Highness is riding Phrynix!”

“Her Highness, the Crown Princess, tamed the legendary creature that no one else could!”

More and more people gathered at the palace gates. Outside the palace, one or two people pointed at her and shouted something. Ignoring their surprised cries, Apollonia cut through the air and disappeared into the distance.

“By the way, about sister. Did you get permission?”

In the quiet cave, Caelion asked with a sinking voice. Uriel, who had been dozing off with his back against the wall, opened his eyes. His red pupils, which had been clouded from not eating anything for two days due to his injuries, flickered complex emotions.

Concern for Apollonia, curiosity about Uriel, and…

“Do you want to hear that Her Highness has sent me because she’s worried about you?”

As if Uriel had guessed correctly, Caelion let out a small sigh. The slight hope in his eyes was that Apollonia might have some affection for him.

“Not entirely wrong.”

“What?”

The golden light in Caelion’s red eyes shimmered. Since Apollonia proposed their engagement, he had been avoiding any conversation with her. It seemed like he was pleased to know that she felt some emotions for him.

“She precisely told me to pass on her regards to you without any mistake,” Uriel spoke before Caelion could say anything. “That you are a loyal ally and one of her beloved. She sends me for the sake of her precious little brother.” Caelion’s eyes shook greatly. “She said Her Highness intends to send away the person she loves while also vowing to save you from any danger, that you are that precious to her.”

A moment of silence passed.

“I see.” Caelion dropped his head slightly and smiled. It was laughter mixed with joy and disappointment. “It’s just like her, isn’t it?”

His lips twitched slightly, and Uriel scolded him. “Don’t laugh like that.”

“If that’s what my sister wants, I should do the same, but I don’t know if it will turn out as I expect.”

He grumbled while looking at his leg.

“The Queen is terrifying in her senses. Losing her sight won’t weaken her much, and more importantly, we didn’t bring any weapons. It’s quite despairing.”

Uriel raised his head and looked outside the hole to observe the situation beyond. After he disappeared into the cave, the queen grumbled nearby for a while, but now it was relatively quiet outside.

“If you’re mostly unharmed, let’s go out together.”

“No. I’ll go out, but you’ll have to go down alone. If you die because of me, sister might take my dismembered body from the demon’s ship and dispose of it in the new river.” Was this guy fond of Apollonia or afraid of her? While Uriel looked outside again, Caelion continued mumbling.

“I never thought I’d encounter a more annoying demon than Melody. Compared to a broken leg, a few scratches are nothing, huh?”

Just as Uriel was about to ask who Melody was, a rustling sound echoed. Caelion’s eyes moved anxiously. “This sound… could it be?”

As his hand instinctively wrapped around his arm, a small, black object swiftly flew into the cave.

“CAW!”

“Ah! Melody!”

The ugly, blackbird presumed to be Melody flew straight toward Caelion’s chest with its claws extended.

“Get away! Why did you follow us here?”

Caelion, who had seemed weakened moments ago, let out a loud cry amidst the screams.

“CAWW!”

“Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!” Swinging his arms in the darkness, Caelion managed to grab the bird with both hands after a few attempts. “If you don’t want to end up as the final supper, stay still! Making loud noises is dangerous!”

“Did you, by any chance, become friends with that bird?” Uriel asked with a puzzled expression, causing Caelion’s face to contort.

“Stop saying terrible things. If I had a sword, this thing would’ve been…”

*THUD*

Before he finished speaking, a heavy sound reverberated, and the rocks blocking their way trembled.

*THUD*

Soon, footsteps could be heard, and the rocks lightly echoed again. Something was standing above them.

“The queen, perhaps?”

Caelion said with a stern expression, and Uriel nodded slightly.

“If it were the queen, there would have been vibrations even as she approached. This seems slightly different. It’s like…”

He furrowed his eyebrows and spoke, trying to understand it himself.

“It’s as if something huge flew and landed…”

*THUD*

*THUD*

“Hoof beats?”

Once again, as the sound of footsteps drew nearer, Uriel and Caelion exchanged glances and spoke simultaneously. The two guards who were asleep also opened their eyes slightly.

*NEIGH*

It was undoubtedly the sound of a horse. Uriel quickly got up and moved a few steps closer to the cave’s entrance. Though the sun hadn’t fully risen, he could faintly see the outside.

“A black horse?”

As Uriel hesitated at the cave entrance, his hand reached for his dagger. It could be someone sent to definitively deal with Caelion.

*THUD*

*THUD*

As he judged that the sound of hoofbeats was getting closer, he pulled himself outside and simultaneously pointed his dagger at the waist of the person on the horse.

“Who goes there?”

It wasn’t a horse but a monstrous being that was huge. Unfolded on both sides were wings that hadn’t yet touched the ground.

“Phrynix?”

Seated on the back of the familiar beast was someone. Uriel slowly raised his head and saw the owner of the body he had pointed his dagger at. When he confirmed the face of the woman sitting on Phrynix, Uriel’s blue eyes widened. He couldn’t believe what he saw before him. Long, flowing golden hair. Reddish-gold irises shone within the gentle atmosphere. It was a beautiful woman he knew all too well, sitting straight on the demon’s back, gazing down at Uriel with wide eyes.

“Your Highness?”

It was undoubtedly Apollonia. She sat still as if taken aback by Uriel’s sudden appearance.